A-6 Intruder
Type	Attack aircraft
Manufacturer	Grumman
Maiden flight	19 April 1960
Introduced	1963
Retired	1997
Primary users	United States Navy United States Marine Corps
Number built	693
Unit cost	US$43 million as of 1998
Variants	EA-6 Prowler

The A-6 Intruder is an American twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a leading 20th century U The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1960: Events January January 1 - Fiji Airways is reconstituted This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1963: Events January January 7 - Aeroflot commences direct This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1997: Events British Airways adopts a new livery which consists of a revised The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft designed to attack targets on the ground and are often deployed as Close air support for and in proximity to their own ground forces The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a leading 20th century U In service between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather replacement for the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider medium attack aircraft. A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a Heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating Pistons to convert WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A specialized electronic warfare derivative, the EA-6B Prowler, remains in service as of May 2008. Electronic warfare ( EW) is the use of the Electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout As the A-6 was slated for retirement, its precision strike mission was taken over by the now retired F-14 Tomcat equipped with LANTIRN, which has subsequently passed on the role to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night, or LANTIRN is a system for use on the USAF's premier fighter aircraft -- the F-15E Strike Eagle and WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Design and development

The Intruder was developed in response to a U.S. Navy specification for an all-weather carrier-based attack aircraft to serve as a replacement for the piston-powered, World War II-era A-1 Skyraider. An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft designed to attack targets on the ground and are often deployed as Close air support for and in proximity to their own ground forces Today Internal combustion engines in cars, Trucks motorcycles aircraft construction machinery and many others most commonly use a four-stroke cycle. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Grumman was awarded the contract in 1957, and the resulting A2F-1 made its first flight on 19 April 1960. The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a leading 20th century U Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The jet nozzles were originally designed to swivel downwards, but this was dropped from production aircraft. The pilot sits in the left seat, while the bombardier/ navigator sits to the right and below. A unique CRT gives a synthetic display of terrain ahead which, with the additional crew member, enabled low-level flying in all weather conditions.

YA2F-1 showing the original tilting tailpipes

The wing is very efficient at subsonic speeds compared to supersonic fighters such as the F-4 Phantom II, which are also limited to subsonic speeds when carrying a payload of bombs. A very similar wing would be put on pivots on Grumman's later supersonic swing-wing F-14 Tomcat, as well as similar landing gear. A Variable-sweep wing is an Aeroplane Wing that may be swept back and then returned to its original position during flight ^[1] The Intruder was also equipped with the "Deceleron", a type of airbrake on the wings with two panels that open in opposite directions, in this case, one panel goes up, another goes down. A deceleron is a type of Aileron, developed in the late 1940s by Northrop originally for use on the F-89 Scorpion Fighter aircraft.

Operational history

An air-to-air left side view of an A-6E Intruder aircraft assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Construction On 29 June 1970 Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport News, Virginia was awarded the contract for construction

S-3A Viking, A-6E Intruder, and an EA-6B Prowler aircraft are parked on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) during a storm. Ship history 1970s Kennedy' s maiden voyage and several of her subsequent voyages were on deployments to the Mediterranean during much of the

The Intruder received a new standardized DOD designation of A-6A in the fall of 1962, and entered squadron service in February 1963. This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1962: Events January US Army CH-21 Shawnees are dispatched to The A-6 became the USN and USMC's principal medium and all-weather/night attack aircraft from the mid-1960s through the 1990s and as an aerial tanker either in the dedicated KA-6D version or by use of a buddy store(D-704). The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 A buddy store is an external Fuel tank loaded on a Hardpoint on a Military aircraft. This role was served in the USAF by the F-105 Thunderchief and later F-111 which was also later converted to a radar jammer as the EF-111 Raven. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipe diaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The A-6 first saw combat in Vietnam and in later engagements in Lebanon and Libya. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab The Intruder saw further duty during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, as well as over Bosnia in 1994, but it was phased out of service quickly in the mid-1990s in a Navy move to reduce the Type/Model/Series aircraft in the carrier airwing. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan It was intended for replacement by the A-12 Avenger II, but that program was canceled. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Intruder was left to soldier on for a few more years before retiring in favor of the LANTIRN equipped F-14 Tomcat, which was in turn replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Many questioned the shift to a shorter ranged strike force compared to the older generation aircraft. However, the availability of USAF tanking assets in all recent conflicts put a lesser premium on self contained range.

A-6 Intruders first saw action during the Vietnam War, where the craft were used extensively against targets in Vietnam. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The aircraft's long range and heavy payload (18,000 lb/8,170 kg) coupled with its ability to fly in all weather made it invaluable during the war. However, its effectiveness in flying low and delivering its payload made it especially vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and in the eight years the Intruder was used, the U. S. Navy and Marines lost 84 Intruders to all causes during the Vietnam War. The first loss occurred on 14 July 1965 when an Intruder from VA-75, flown by LT Donald Boecker and LT Donald Eaton, from the carrier USS Independence commenced a dive on a target near Laos. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. An explosion under the starboard wing damaged the starboard engine, causing the aircraft to catch fire, and the hydraulics to fail. Seconds later the port engine failed, the controls froze, and the two crewmen ejected. Both crewmen survived. On 21 August 1967 four A-6 Intruders from the carrier USS Constellation (Squadron VA-196) attacked a railway in North Vietnam, one A-6 piloted by CDR Leo Profilet and LCDR William Hardman was hit by a surface to air missile (SAM), their aircraft cartwheeled, and both crewmen ejected, becoming POWs. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The three other A-6s continued their mission, then suddenly two of the three Intruders became separated from the third aircraft, and possibly due to the thunderstorms and low clouds, headed directly across into Communist China. They were attacked and shot down by Red Chinese Mig-19s (J-6s). LTs(JG) Dain Scott and Forrest Trembley, and LCDR Jimmy Buckley did not survive. LT Robert Flynn became a POW, and was repatriated on 15 March 1973. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar.

An A-6E Intruder prepares for launch aboard USS Enterprise. Design Enterprise was intended to be the first of a class of six but construction costs ballooned and the remaining vessels were never laid down resulting in her

Of the 84 Intruders lost to all causes during the war, ten were shot down by surface to air missiles (SAMs), two were shot down by MiGs (as noted above), 16 were lost to operational causes, and 56 were lost to conventional ground fire and AAA. Most U. S. Marine Corps A-6 Intruders were shore based in South Vietnam at Chu Lai and Da Nang. The last Intruder to be lost during the war was from Squadron VA-35, flown by LTs C. M. Graf and S. H. Hatfield, from the carrier USS America; they were shot down by ground fire on 24 January 1973 while providing close air support. Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. The airmen ejected and were rescued by a Navy helicopter. Twenty U. S. Navy aircraft carriers rotated through the waters of Southeast Asia, providing air strikes, from the early 1960s through the early 1970s. Nine of those carriers lost A-6 Intruders: USS Constellation lost 11, USS Ranger lost eight, USS Coral Sea lost six, USS Midway lost two, USS Independence lost four, USS Kitty Hawk lost 14, USS Saratoga lost three, USS Enterprise lost eight, and USS America lost two. ^[2]

A-6 Intruders were later used in support of other operations, such as the International forces in Lebanon (1983). One Intruder and one A-7 Corsair II were downed by Syrian missiles on 4 December. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song.

Intruders also saw action operating from the aircraft carriers USS America and Coral Sea during Operation El Dorado Canyon in April 1986. Construction and shakedown Originally ordered as an Enterprise -class nuclear carrier the ballooning costs of during construction caused the cancellation of the nuclear Early Milestones The ship promptly began a series of career milestones when on 27 April 1948, two P2V-2 Neptunes piloted by Commander Thomas D The United States bombing of Libya (code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon) comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and The squadrons involved were VA-34 "Blue Blasters" (from America) and VA-55 "Warhorses" (from Coral Sea).

During Operation Desert Storm, Navy and Marine Corps A-6s logged more than 4,700 combat sorties, providing close air support, destroying enemy air defenses, attacking Iraqi naval units, and hitting strategic targets. They were also the Navy's primary strike platform for delivering laser-guided bombs^[3]. A laser-guided bomb (LGB is a Precision-guided munition (PGM that uses semi-active Laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall The U. S. Navy operated them from the aircraft carriers Saratoga, John. F Kennedy, Midway, Ranger, America, and Theodore Roosevelt. Construction and trials She was ordered as a "Large Aircraft Carrier" Hull classification symbol CVB-60, and her contract was awarded to the Ship history 1970s Kennedy' s maiden voyage and several of her subsequent voyages were on deployments to the Mediterranean during much of the Early operations and deployment with the 6th Fleet After shakedown in the Caribbean, Midway joined in the U Construction and trials Ranger was the first Aircraft carrier in the world to be laid down as an angled-deck ship (her elder sisters Forrestal and Construction and shakedown Originally ordered as an Enterprise -class nuclear carrier the ballooning costs of during construction caused the cancellation of the nuclear Timeline Her history began on 30 September 1980 when a contract was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding. Four A-6s were shot down in combat by SAMs and AAA. ^[4]

Following Desert Storm, Intruders were used to patrol the no-fly zone in Iraq and provided air support for Marines during Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Unified Task Force (UNITAF was a United States led United Nations sanctioned multinational force which operated in the Republic of Somalia from 9 Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known The last A-6E Intruder left Marine Corps service on 28 April 1993. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) ^[5]

The Intruder's large blunt nose and slender tail inspired a number of nicknames, including "Double Ugly", "The Mighty Alpha Six", "Iron Tadpole" and also ^[6] "Drumstick".

Although the Intruder could not match the F/A-18's speed or air-combat capability, the A-6's range and load-carrying ability are still unmatched by newer aircraft in the fleet. The last Intruders were retired 28 February 1997. Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1997: Events British Airways adopts a new livery which consists of a revised

A number of retired A-6 airframes were sunk off the coast of St. Johns County, Florida to form a fish haven entitled Intruder Reef. St Johns County is located in northeastern Florida. As of the 2000 census, the population was 123135 An artificial reef is a man-made underwater structure typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas of generally featureless bottom Surviving aircraft fitted with the new wings were stored at the AMARC storage center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and not sunk as artificial reefs. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Tucson, Arizona. An artificial reef is a man-made underwater structure typically built for the purpose of promoting marine life in areas of generally featureless bottom

Variants

YA-6A

This designation was given to eight prototypes and pre-production aircraft, used in the development of the A-6A Intruder.

A-6A

A-6A of VMA(AW)-242 in 1975

A-6B on the USS Saratoga in 1971

The initial version of the Intruder was built around the complex and advanced DIANE (Digital Integrated Attack/Navigation Equipment), intended to provide a high degree of bombing accuracy even at night and in poor weather. DIANE consisted of multiple radar systems: the Norden AN/APQ-92 search radar and a separate AN/APQ-112 for tracking, AN/APN-141 radar altimeter, and AN/APN-153 Doppler to provide position updates to the AN/ASN-31 inertial navigation system. Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range altitude direction or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as Aircraft, ships An Inertial Navigation System (INS is a Navigation aid that uses a Computer and motion sensors to continuously track the position orientation and Velocity An air-data computer and ballistics computer integrated the radar information for the bombardier/navigator (BN) in the right-hand seat. TACAN and ADF were also provided for navigational use. TACtical Air Navigation, or TACAN, is a Navigation system used by military aircraft A radio direction finder ( RDF) is a device for finding the direction to a Radio source When it worked, DIANE was perhaps the most capable nav/attack system of its era, giving the Intruder the ability to fly and fight in even very poor conditions (particularly important over Vietnam and Thailand during the Vietnam War). Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia It suffered numerous teething problems, though, and it was several years before its reliability was established.

Total A-6A production was 488, including six pre-production prototypes. Many of the surviving aircraft were converted to other variants.

A-6B

To provide Navy squadrons with a SEAD aircraft to attack enemy air defense and SAM systems--a mission dubbed "Iron Hand" in Navy parlance: 19 A-6As were converted to A-6B standard from 1967 to 1970. SEAD (pronounced see-add or seed or Suppression of Enemy Air Defences, also known as " Wild Weasels quot and "Iron Hand" operations in the USA are A surface to air missile ( SAM) or ground-to-air missile ( GTAM) is a Missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy Aircraft The A-6B had many of its standard attack systems removed in favor of special equipment to detect and track enemy radar sites and to guide AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard anti-radiation missiles. History The Shrike was first employed during the Vietnam War by the Navy in 1965 using A-4 aircraft The AGM-78 Standard ARM was a missile developed by General Dynamics, United States of America. An anti-radiation missile (ARM is a Missile which is designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source Five were lost in combat, and the rest were later converted to A-6E standard in the late 1970s. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970.

A-6C

A-6C of VA-35 Black Panthers

12 A-6As were converted in 1970 to A-6C standard for night attack missions against the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam through Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially They were fitted with a TRIM (Trails/Roads Interdiction Multi-sensor) pod in the fuselage for FLIR and low-light TV cameras, as well as a "Black Crow" engine ignition detection system. A forward looking infrared (FLIR is an imaging device that senses infrared radiation One of these aircraft was lost in combat, the others were later converted to A-6E standard after the war.

KA-6D

A KA-6D refueling a F-14A in 1987

In the early 1970s some 78 A-6As and 12 A-6Es were converted for use as tanker aircraft, providing aerial refueling support to other strike aircraft. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling ( IFR) air-to-air refueling ( AAR) or tanking, is Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling ( IFR) air-to-air refueling ( AAR) or tanking, is The DIANE system was removed and an internal refueling system was added, sometimes supplemented by a D-704 refueling pod on the centerline pylon. The KA-6D theoretically could be used in the day/visual bombing role, but it apparently never was, with the standard load-out being four fuel tanks. Because it was based on a tactical aircraft platform, the KA-6D provided a capability for mission tanking, the ability to keep up with strike packages and refuel them in the course of a mission. A few KA-6Ds went to sea with each Intruder squadron, and the retirement of the aircraft left a gap in USN and USMC refueling tanker capability. The USN S-3 Viking also has an aerial refueling capability, but its performance and fuel capacity effectively limit it to the role of recovery tanker. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The loss of mission tanking capability was only later remedied by the new F/A-18E Super Hornet, which can act as a mission tanker. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

A-6E

An A-6E Intruder flying over Spain during Exercise Matador.

Final VA-34 A-6E Intruder launch from the flight deck the USS George Washington, 1996. Description Propulsion Two Westinghouse A4W Nuclear reactors are used for propulsion (the ship is capable of steaming more than three million

The definitive attack version of the Intruder, introduced in 1970, with its first deployment 9 December 1971, with vastly upgraded nav/attack systems. This is a list of Aviation -related events from 1970: Events January January 31 - Mikhail Mil dies aged 61 Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The original search and track radars of the A-6A were replaced by a single AN/APQ-148 Norden multi-mode radar, and the onboard computers with a more sophisticated (and generally more reliable) IC based system, as opposed to the A6A's DIANE discrete transistor based technology. A new AN/ASN-92 inertial navigation system was added, along with the CAINS (Carrier Aircraft Intertial Navigation System), for greater navigation accuracy.

Beginning in 1979, all A-6Es were fitted with the AN/AAS-33 DRS (Detecting and Ranging Set), part of the TRAM (Target Recognition and Attack, Multi-Sensor) system, a small, gyroscopically stabilized turret, mounted under the nose of the aircraft, containing FLIR boresighted with a laser spot-tracker/designator and IBM System/4 Pi computer. A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of Angular momentum. A forward looking infrared (FLIR is an imaging device that senses infrared radiation A laser is a device that emits Light ( Electromagnetic radiation) through a process called Stimulated emission. International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology The IBM System/4 Pi is a family of Radiation hardened Avionics Computers used in various TRAM was matched with a new AN/APQ-156 Norden radar. Carl Lucas Norden ( April 23, 1880 – 1965 was a Dutch -born American engineer born in Semarang, Java and educated at the ETH The BN could use both TRAM imagery and radar data for extremely accurate attacks, or use the TRAM sensors alone to attack without using the Intruder's radar (which might warn the target). TRAM also allowed the Intruder to autonomously designate and drop laser-guided bombs. A laser-guided bomb (LGB is a Precision-guided munition (PGM that uses semi-active Laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than a free-fall In addition, the Intruder used AMTI (Airborne Moving Target Indicator) which allowed the aircraft to track a moving target (such as a tank or truck) and drop ordnance on him even though the target was moving. Also, the computer system allowed the use of Offset Aim Point (OAP), giving the crew the ability to drop on a target unseen on radar by noting coordinates of a known target nearby and entering the offset range and bearing to the unseen target.

In the early 1990s some surviving A-6Es were upgraded under SWIP (Systems/Weapons Improvement Program) to enable them to use the latest precision-guided munitions, including AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-84E SLAM, AGM-62 Walleye and the AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM designed for close air support The Harpoon is an all-weather over-the-horizon, Anti-ship missile system developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Integrated The Harpoon is an all-weather over-the-horizon, Anti-ship missile system developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Integrated The AGM-62 Walleye is a Television -guided Glide bomb which was produced by Martin Marietta and used by the United States armed forces during Gulf War Friendly Fire Incident During the Gulf War, the HARM was involved in a friendly fire incident when the pilot of an F-4G Wild Weasel escorting An anti-radiation missile (ARM is a Missile which is designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source After a series of wing-fatigue problems, about 85% of the fleet was fitted with new graphite/epoxy/titanium/aluminum composite wings.

A-6E models totaled 445 aircraft, about 240 of which were converted from earlier A-6A/B/C models.

A-6F and A-6G

A-6F prototype in 1987

An advanced A-6F Intruder II was proposed in the mid-1980s that would have replaced the Intruder's elderly Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojets with non-afterburning versions of the General Electric F404 turbofan used in the F/A-18 Hornet, providing substantial improvements in both power and fuel economy. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout TurboJET (噴射飛航 is the brand name for the operations of the Hong Kong -based Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited (信德中旅船務管理有限公司 WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A turbofan is a type of Jet engine, similar to a Turbojet. It essentially consists of a Ducted fan with a smaller diameter turbojet engine WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The A-6F would have had totally new avionics, including a Norden AN/APQ-173 synthetic aperture radar and multi-function cockpit displays – the APQ-173 would have given the Intruder air-to-air capacity with provision for the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Avionics means "aviation electronics" It comprises electronic systems for use on aircraft artificial satellites and spacecraft comprising Communications Synthetic-aperture radar (SAR is a form of Radar in which the highly-directional (and thus very large rotating antenna used by conventional radar is replaced with many low-directivity The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced am-ram is a modern Beyond Visual Range (BVR air-to-air Missile Two additional wing pylons were added, for a total of seven stations.

Although five development aircraft were built, the Navy ultimately chose not to authorize the A-6F, preferring to concentrate on the A-12 Avenger II. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout This left the service in a quandary when the A-12 was cancelled in 1991.

Grumman proposed a cheaper alternative in the A-6G, which had most of the A-6F's advanced electronics, but retained the existing engines. This, too, was cancelled.

Electronic warfare versions

See also: EA-6B Prowler

An electronic warfare/ECM version of the Intruder was developed early in the aircraft's life for the USMC, which needed a new ECM platform to replace its elderly F3D-2Q Skyknights. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Electronic warfare ( EW) is the use of the Electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly Electronic Countermeasures ( ECM') are a subsection of Electronic warfare which includes any sort of electrical or electronic device designed to trick WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout An EW version of the Intruder, initially designated A2F-1Q and subsequently redesignated EA-6A, first flew on 26 April 1963. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It had a Bunker-Ramo AN/ALQ-86 ECM suite, with most electronics contained on the walnut-shaped pod atop the vertical fin. They were theoretically capable of firing the AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile, although they were apparently not used in that role. History The Shrike was first employed during the Vietnam War by the Navy in 1965 using A-4 aircraft An anti-radiation missile (ARM is a Missile which is designed to detect and home in on an enemy radio emission source

Only 28 EA-6As were built (two prototypes, 15 new-build, and 11 conversions from A-6As), serving with Marine Corps squadrons in Vietnam. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia It was phased out of front-line service in the mid-1970s, remaining in use in reserve units with the USMC and then the US Navy primarily for training purposes. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The last had been retired completely by 1993.

A much more highly specialized derivative of the Intruder was the EA-6B Prowler, a 'stretched' airframe with two additional systems operators, and more comprehensive systems for the electronic warfare and SEAD roles. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Electronic warfare ( EW) is the use of the Electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly SEAD (pronounced see-add or seed or Suppression of Enemy Air Defences, also known as " Wild Weasels quot and "Iron Hand" operations in the USA are In total, 170 were produced. The Prowler remains in service as of 2008, replacing the Air Force EF-111 Raven when the DOD decided to let the Navy handle all electronic warfare missions. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout It is to be replaced by the EA-18G Growler Super Hornet variant. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Prototypes/test aircraft

NA-6A

The redesignation of three YA-6As and three A-6As. The six aircraft were modified for special tests

YEA-6A

One YA-6A aircraft was converted into the EA-6A prototype.

YEA-6B

The designation of two EA-6B prototypes, which were modified for special test purposes.

NEA-6A

One EA-6A aircraft was modified for special test purposes.

Operators

See also: List of A-6 Intruder operators

 United States

• United States Marine Corps
• United States Navy

Specifications (A-6E)

Data from Quest for Performance^[7]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (pilot, bombardier/navigator)
• Length: 54 ft 7 in (16. The following are operators of the Grumman A-6 Intruder: Operators United States Navy VA-34 &mdash Blue Blasters The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 6 m)
• Wingspan: 53 ft (16. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 2 m)
• Height: 15 ft 7 in (4. 75 m)
• Wing area: 529 ft² (49. 1 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 64A009 mod root, NACA 64A005. An airfoil (in American English) or aerofoil (in British English) is the shape of a Wing or blade (of a Propeller, rotor The NACA airfoils are Airfoil shapes for aircraft wings developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA 9 tip
• Empty weight: 25,630 lb (11,630 kg)
• Useful load: 34,996 lb (15,870 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 60,626 lb (27,500 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney J52-P8B turbojets, 9,300 lbf (41. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass The Maximum Takeoff Weight or Maximum Takeoff Mass of an Aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout TurboJET (噴射飛航 is the brand name for the operations of the Hong Kong -based Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited (信德中旅船務管理有限公司 This article deals with the unit of force For the unit of mass see Pound (mass. 4 kN) each
• * Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0. In Aerodynamics, the zero-lift drag coefficient C_{D0} is a dimensionless parameter which relates an aircraft's zero-lift drag Force to its 0144
• Drag area: 7. In Aerodynamics, the zero-lift drag coefficient C_{D0} is a dimensionless parameter which relates an aircraft's zero-lift drag Force to its 64 ft² (0. 71 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 5. In Aerodynamics, the aspect ratio of a wing is defined as the square of the wing span divided by the wing area 31

Performance

• Maximum speed: 563 kn (648 mph, 1,040 km/h)
• Range: 2,819 NM (3,245 mi, 5,222 km)
• Service ceiling 40,600 ft (12,400 m)
• Rate of climb: 7,620 ft/min (38. In Aviation, V-speeds or Velocity-speeds are standard terms used to define Airspeeds important or useful to the operation of Aircraft, such The maximal total range is the distance an Aircraft can fly between Takeoff and Landing, as limited by fuel capacity in powered aircraft or cross-country A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States In Aeronautics, a ceiling is the maximum Density altitude an aircraft can reach under a set of conditions In Aerodynamics, the rate of climb RoC is the speed at which an Aircraft increases its Altitude. 7 m/s)
• Lift-to-drag ratio: 15. In Aerodynamics, the lift-to-drag ratio, or L/D ratio ("ell-over-dee" in the US "ell-dee" in the UK is the amount of lift generated 2

Armament

A-6 ordnance in 1962

The Intruder carries no internal armament, but can carry 18,000 lb (8,170 kg) evenly distributed on five external hardpoints, with options including:

• • 2. 75" (70 mm) Rocket Pod
  • 5" (127 mm) Zuni Rocket Pod
  • Mk-20 Rockeye
  • Mk-77 Napalm
  • Mk-81 (250 lb) (113 kg)
  • Mk-82 Snakeye
  • Mk-83 (1,000 lb) (454 kg)
  • Mk-84 (2,000 lb) (907 kg)
  • Mk-117 (750 lb) (340 kg)
  • CBU-78 Gator
  • GBU-10E Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb
  • GBU-12D Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb
  • GBU-16B Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb
  • AGM-123A Skipper II
  • AGM-45 Shrike
  • AGM-62 Walleye
  • AIM-9 Sidewinder
  • AGM-84D Harpoon
  • AGM-88 HARM
  • AGM-84E SLAM
  • AGM-65 Maverick
  • AGM-123 Skipper
  • B-61 Special Weapon
  • Various Land mines
  • Various underwater mines
  • Various practice bombs [Mk-76, BDU-45, LGTR, etc. The Mark 82 (Mk 82 is an unguided low- drag General-purpose bomb ( Dumb bomb) part of the U The Mark 83 is part of the Mark 80 series of low- drag General-purpose bombs in United States service History The Shrike was first employed during the Vietnam War by the Navy in 1965 using A-4 aircraft The AGM-62 Walleye is a Television -guided Glide bomb which was produced by Martin Marietta and used by the United States armed forces during The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range Air-to-air missile carried by Fighter aircraft and recently certain gunship helicopters The Harpoon is an all-weather over-the-horizon, Anti-ship missile system developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Integrated Gulf War Friendly Fire Incident During the Gulf War, the HARM was involved in a friendly fire incident when the pilot of an F-4G Wild Weasel escorting The Harpoon is an all-weather over-the-horizon, Anti-ship missile system developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Integrated The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile (AGM designed for close air support The B61 Nuclear bomb is the primary Thermonuclear weapon in the U . . ]

Popular culture

The A-6 Intruder was featured in a 1986 novel by Stephen Coonts called Flight of the Intruder , with a plot line somewhat similar to the book Thud Ridge about pilots flying into Hanoi restricted by militarily dubious rules of engagement. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Stephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American thriller and Suspense novelist Flight of the Intruder is a 1991 film directed by John Milius, which is based on the novel of the same name by A-6 Intruder pilot Thud Ridge is a book by Jack Broughton about flying the F-105 "Thud" for the U In 1991, the book was adapted as movie, and followed by the novel's 1995 sequel, The Intruders. Flight of the Intruder is a 1991 film directed by John Milius, which is based on the novel of the same name by A-6 Intruder pilot Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995

See also

Related development

• EA-6B Prowler
  

Comparable aircraft

• Blackburn Buccaneer
• Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard
• Panavia Tornado
  

Related lists

• List of attack aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States
  

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• A-6E history page on Navy.mil
• Intruder Association
• A-6E on fas.org
• ATKRON 95 Green Lizards